Automobile attachment



July 13, 1926. 1,592,436 -F. J; BOWDEN V AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1922 July 13, 1926;

F. J. BOWDEN AUTOMOBILE nmcnmsn'r Filed Jan. 7. 1922 Ill/ll 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ll/ Patented July :13 1926.

UNITED STATES FRANK J.- nownnn,

or new Yong,

' AUTOMOBILE n'rrac'nnnnn Application filed January This mechanism relates to locking mechanism for motor vehicles, and more particularly to roller jacks adapted to be attached to the axle of a vehicle to permit the trac tion wheels to be raised out ofengagement with the ground and locked in such position.

An object of the invention is to provide a jack attached to the rear axle by means of which the rear wheel may be raised to'inoperative position; f I

A further object of the invention is the provision of operating means connected to the jack and extendingtofa pointlocated near the drivers seat to permit operation of the jack from the drivers seat." f

A further object is the provision of locking means to prevent the'jack from being released by unauthorized persons. i

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing: 1 k

Figure 1 is a side elevation-of a'motor vehicle showing the invention applied,

Figure 2 is a rear view of a motor ve hicle showing the jack in operative position,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the ack removed,

Figure 4 is a rear view-of the jack,

5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a similar view on line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a detail view of a portion of the operating mechanism,

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the lock ing mechanism, and, p

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view on line 10--10 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a motor vehicle having front wheels 2 and rear wheels 3. The rear wheels are mounted on a rear axle 4:. The vehicle is provided with front seat 5. The parts heretofore described are of the usual construction and form no partof the present invention, except in the combination claimed. 7

The locking mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention consists of a jack comprising a standard or upright 6, of slightly greater length than the distance from the rear axle to the ground. This upright member is mounted on a pin 7 carried by a bracket 8. The bracket is Figure 5 is a detail sectional viewon line 1922;" Serial no. 527,786. I r

provided with a semi-circular clip 9, adapt.-

ed to, coac'-t with a similar clip 10, to embrace the rear axle housing. The clips 9 and 10 are secured to each other by suitable fastening means 11." As shown, the upper. end of the'sta-ndard is provided with a flat face 12 which is adapted to engage the under side of the bracket 8'when the. standard is in vertical position to form a substantial'support for the'axle of the vehicle.

The lower end of the standard is bifurcated, forming a 'pair of spaced arms 18. A roller 14 is received between these arms and is mounted on a pin 15', passing through 7 0 the arms. The pin 15 also passes through. arms 16, extending from a head 17 of a control rodr18. The control rod extends fora wardly to a point beneath the drivers seat and is connected to an operating lever 19. As shown, the opera-ting lever is pivotally 'mounted'in a bracket 20 arranged on the un-' der side of the floor 21 of the body. of the vehicle and the upper end of the operating rod extends through a slot in the floor in the 50 usual'manner. The lower end of the operating rod is provided with a plurality of holes 22, suitably spaced from each other to permit adjustment of the control rod. The end of the control rodis adapted, to receive a pin 23, which may be arranged in one of these openings. A quadrant 24 is secured to the bracket 20 and this quadrant is provided with spaced teeth 25. The control rod is provided with a central passage adapt-. v 7

ed to receive a locking lever 26. The lower end of the passage communicates with a recess 27, extendingthrough one side of'the operating lever and the locking lever is provided with an oflset end28 adapted to pass through thisrecess. The offset end is secured to a pawl 29, pivotally mounted on the operating lever, as at 30. I

A handle 31 is secured to the upper end of the operating lever by means of a locking washer 32, which prevents removal of the handle. This handle is provided with a central passage 33 of greater diameter than the passage through the operating lever. A spring 84 is arranged-therein and the upper end of this spring engages a shoulder 35 formed by an, enlargement36 of the locking lever tonormally maintain the locking lever in raised position. The; locking lever passes through a sleeve 37 which is retained in the handle bymeans of a washer 38 and the enlargement 36 receives suitable looking I mechanism (not shown) whereby the locking lever is maintained in raised position. A key 39 may be inserted in the upper end of the enlargement for releasing the lock.

of the operating lever. The operating lever is moved forwardly, forcing. the control lever rearwardly and loweringgthe jack to the position shown-in Figures Qand 3 ofthe drawings; This raises one of therear wheels from the ground and prevents the vehicle from being; operated underits own power, \Vhen theij-aokis in operative position, the flat face 12 ofthe standard, 6 engages the under side of bracket 8 to form a substantial support. By releasingthe depressed locking lever 26 with. the 'jaclr in operativeiposition, the springfi l moves the locking lever upwardly and causes the pawl 29 to engage one ofthe teeth .25'which prevents the jack from being. moved toinoperati veiposition until the-proper-key 39 isin serted in the look.

It is to be understood: that the form of my invention herewith shown and described isto be taken as a preferred exampleof the same, and that various changes inithe shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresortedto Without departingufromlthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the subj oined'claim;

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7

an attachinent'for motor vehicles comprisinga pair of complementary members adapted'to be secured around an axle of the vehicle toform a bracket, one of said members being provided with an integral longitudinal extension having a fiat lower face-arrangedbel ow the axle, a standard pivotally connected .at itsupper end to the end of said extension, a shaftsecured inthe oppositeendof said standard, a wheel journalled on said shaft and adapted to contact withthe ground when. in operativeposition to. raise -a wheel of the vehicle, said shaft when operative position being arranged directly below the pivot ofsaidstandard,eaid standard being provided atits upper end with a lateral oiiset having a flat upper face adapted to contact with the lower face of said extension when in operative position and extending there along at least to a point 

